Hi, my name is Noah Waite, and along with my fellow teammates, Heather Allen, Nyarai Made and Queen Akiluga, we have formed the group “Healing Hands.” We are a team of 4 civically engaged B.A.A.S. students from the University of North Texas. Energized by our motto "Collective Compassion Means Worldwide Action!", we are asking for your help in supporting Doctors Without Borders/Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF), an organization that we feel can bring hope and healing to those in need around the world.
Recently, our teammate Nyarai’s aunt passed away in South Africa from an unknown illness. It wasn’t that her condition was too rare to diagnosis. Rather, a lack of resources prevented local healthcare workers from making one altogether. Nyarai and her family, like many of us, know how devastating it can be to need medical treatment but not have the means to obtain proper care.
According to the United Nations Refugee Agency, as of the middle of 2024, there were 122.6 million forcibly displaced people worldwide. Conditions within their countries stripped away any sense of safety from their homes, pushing them to seek refuge both inside and outside their borders. War, persecution, natural disasters, and instability continue to disrupt their way of life, making it unsafe or impossible for them and their families to return. Often, these uprooted individuals find themselves in situations where it’s difficult to have even their most basic of needs met.
The impact of such an unnecessary loss, like that of our teammate’s aunt, along with the conflicts and crises around the world that are leaving so many of our fellow human beings in need of medical aid, gave us the desire to bring awareness and support to Doctors Without Borders. This is why we are asking for your assistance in helping us make a difference.
Doctors Without Borders was founded in 1971. Started by a group of journalists and doctors, it is an independent, non-profit, humanitarian organization that aims to provide equity in healthcare worldwide. Stationed in around 70 countries; Doctors Without Borders provides the much-needed medical care to those that have little or no access to healthcare. Each year, they provide millions of consultations, surgeries, treatments, and vaccinations in areas affected by natural disasters, conflict, disease outbreaks and epidemics.
Through the support of donors like you, Doctors Without Borders can serve as a beacon of hope, providing support in a multitude of ways. In 2023, Doctors Without Borders was staffed with over 68,000 doctors, nurses, planning experts and support personnel that provided aid to nearly 16.5 million patients Worldwide. Here are some of the amazing resources provided by Doctors Without Borders throughout the year:
- 16,459,000 outpatient consultations
- 1,946,300 emergency room admissions
- 1,368,700 hospital admissions
- 161,000 severely malnourished children admitted to inpatient feeding centers
- 499,500 malnourished children admitted to outpatient feeding programs
- 493,900 individual mental health consultations
- 462,200 families received distribution of relief items
- 3,295,700 people vaccinated against measles in response to an outbreak
- 3,724,500 cases of malaria treated
- 62,200 people treated for sexual violence
- 4,650 people rescued at sea
Please take some time to watch this video and take a trip through 2023 with Doctors Without Borders:
Doctors Without Borders understands that the unsafe and unhealthy conditions encountered by those in need every day must be met with direct support. The organization is empowered by the financial independence they receive from generous donors like you and me. The support of donors enhances their platform as an advocate towards the immediate and safe medical attention for all, while they tirelessly work on the frontlines to provide those in need with direct humanitarian assistance, for as long as it is needed.
This is why we are asking you to help us support Doctors Without Borders. Any donation you provide to our GoFundMe will go directly to the organization, and you can be sure that donations will be used for a worthy cause. Doctors Without Borders is recognized for their transparency, with 87% of donations going towards their programs, 12% towards fundraising, and just 1% going towards management and general administration.
Please consider donating and help support our team reach its goal of raising $2,500 for Doctors Without Borders/Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF). Your contribution will help save the lives of so many in need. Every little bit helps, so any amount you can contribute is greatly appreciated. If you are unable to support in a monetary way, please share our story and help us spread our message to others.
If you would like to learn more about Doctors Without Borders, please visit their
website. They can also be found on social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly known as Twitter), LinkedIn, and YouTube.
